When designing lamps and associated circuitry, economic considerations are of paramount importance and often are the difference between an acceptable design and an optimal design. Modern lamps come in a variety of sizes to accommodate multiple design variations. For instance, a T8 lamp size is approximately one inch in diameter, while a T12 lamp is approximately one and a half inches in diameter. Other sizes are also available to meet designer and consumer needs.
The T5 lamp and ballast have gained increasing popularity due in part to its compact size and high lumen efficacy relative to other ballast-and-lamp systems. However, a small diameter lamp may raise certain concerns, especially when a lamp approaches the end of its life (EOL). For instance, some lamps' end caps can overheat due to a depletion of an emission mix in the filament as they approach the EOL stage, and due to a small spacing between the cathode and lamp wall. When this occurs, the lamp's end cap and holder may exceed a design temperature limit and detrimentally affect the safety and reliability of the lighting system. Accordingly, an unmet need in the art exists for systems and/or methodologies that facilitate detecting and/or avoiding an overheating condition in a lamp.